The Oracle of Avalbane

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 

   Zach

 

               According to Kate, all I care about are cars, girls and soccer. I let Kate think that because she needs to lighten up. She needs to laugh at least once a day. True, it’s usually at my expense, but if that’s what it takes, then I’m okay with it.

               See, the problem is, Kate was going to go with Cole the day of the accident but she was running late, and Cole had no patience with waiting for people. So he took off and now Kate blames herself. Even though she’s only five feet, two inches tall, and a hundred pounds wringing wet, she’s sure she could have somehow saved his life. Now she thinks it must be her fault he died.

Not finding a body makes it hard for her to believe he’s dead. I have to admit I have my own doubts even though I know he couldn’t survive the fall, much less the icy water, even someone as tough as he was. But he’s got to be dead—nothing could keep him from coming home.

               Cole was such a great brother. I miss him like hell. I mean heck. He would yell at me for cursing so to honor him, I’m more careful these days. But losing our brother when we were just beginning to get used to the fact that our mom was gone…it’s enough to make anyone curse. Not to mention trying to live with Dad who has the temperament of a grizzly bear these days.

               I have to admit that I’m psyched about Avalbane. The weird thing is, I’ve been having these dreams lately. When I wake up, I don’t exactly remember them , but it’s almost like I knew something like this was coming. I don’t think Kate has realized what all this means yet, but if our grandfather is a wizard—chances are so am I. And Kate is a witch.

               I think if she was truly on her game, she’d realize what’s going on. Anyway, it’s going to be a great distraction for both of us. Things have been tense around here since Cole died.

               Too bad for Jason Jensen though--NOT. I’ve had the distinct impression he’s hanging around with me lately to get close to Kate. He can just cool off while we’re gone. Maybe by the time we get back he can manage to complete a sentence when she’s around without stuttering.

               I do wonder if all the witches and elves in Avalbane are as pretty as Elys. But hopefully sweeter, a lot sweeter. Something else to look forward to…

               “Ready to go?” Kate said, sticking her head in my door. I can tell just from the tone of her voice that she’s already nervous about the bridge.

               “Yeah, pretty much. Is her Highness back yet?” That gets a smile.

               “I hear someone downstairs and Dad’s still sleeping so my guess is that she’s exploring our oh-so-ordinary home.”

               After rolling my eyes, I said, “I’m thinking that I’ll just drive us to the jumping off point. We don’t want people asking about our car. I know Dad’s going to be okay, but if enough people ask…”

               Kate agreed. “We’re not exactly legal yet since we haven’t taken our driving tests, but I guess that’s a good idea.”

               I hoisted my back pack and we headed downstairs. We caught Elys stuffing something into the satchel that she’s carrying.

               When I looked around, I saw that she took a couple of family pictures from the shelves on either side of the fireplace. One of them, from about five years before, was the last one we have of our grandmother with all of us in it. Another was of Cole, and I must have looked suspicious.

               “I hope you don’t mind,” she said, and her voice was almost humble. “I would like to show them to my father.”

               I realized that maybe she wanted to show him the part of the family that he’d never meet. I nodded and we headed out.

               “How far do we have to go?” I asked when we got outside.

               “The bridge is close to your grandmother’s old cabin, where my father first met her,” she answered.

          “Too far to walk then. I’m going to drive,” I told her, trying to sound like I was in charge. With satisfaction I saw she looked a little nervous. Maybe her exploration of the Ordinary World showed her we have a few things they don’t have in Avalbane—like the ability to travel at high speeds. Oh, unless you have some kind of magic amulet, that is.

               We approached our car and Kate patted it affectionately. “We never even got to break Sunny in good,” she lamented.

               “Sunny” is the name we gave the 1997 Honda Civic that Kate and I purchased together. Well, us and the Bank of Dad. Our plan was to work all summer and pay him back. Sunny may be old but she has plenty of pep and runs like a scalded dog, and that is all that matters.

               “You named your vehicle?” Elys asked. The slightly haughty tone was back.

               “Of course,” said Kate, as she climbed in the passenger seat. This left the back seat for Elys and we grinned at each other as she opened the back door reluctantly.

               “We probably need to hurry,” Kate said as we approached the freeway, her blue eyes twinkling.

               I got the hint and punched the accelerator. One glance in the rearview mirror at the white-faced witch elf gave me great pleasure.